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Few swings for Astros on first day of live BP

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- On the first day of live batting practice, hitters typically don't take many hacks against the pitchers, and that was especially true for the Astros on Sunday with chilly temperatures invading Osceola County Stadium.

While the pitchers get a chance to work on their stuff for the first time with a hitter in the batter's box, the hitters use live batting practice as a chance to get adjusted to watching pitches travel into the catcher's mitt. There were a few occasional swings.

"I took a swing and squared up a line drive up the middle," Carlos Pena said. "At this stage, you want to make sure you're ready to hit, and you try to track the pitches and follow them into the glove. But you want to make sure you're in good position to hit, and then if that's what you want, go ahead and take a swing."

Astros manager Bo Porter said the first day of live batting practice was more for the pitchers than anything else.

"It's was good for the pitchers to get out of the bullpen and get a hitter in the batter's box and get closer and closer to starting games here," Porter said. "If you're seeing the ball live and seeing ball come out of the pitcher's hand -- the weather was why some guys decided to track -- but at the same time I think it was overall good."

There will be three more days of live batting practice before the Astros play an intrasquad game on Thursday.